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Southern Company Gets BVLOS Waiver for Fully Remote Drone Operations with Skydio Dock
In partnership with drone leader Skydio, leading energy provider Southern Company has announced that it has received a conditions-based waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allowing for remote-based, autonomous beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) dock operations across its system.
During the 2023 Paris Air Show, Archer Aviation Inc. and Stellantis announced progress in their strategic manufacturing partnership. Construction is currently ongoing on the world’s first high-volume eVTOL aircraft manufacturing facility located on a roughly 100-acre Covington, Georgia-based campus. Recently, Stellantis raised its strategic shareholding by way of a series of purchases of Archer stock in the open market.
Lilium Jet Becomes First eVTOL with Both EASA and FAA Certification Basis
As eVTOL companies race to commercialization, type certification is one of the biggest hurdles. Type certification for eVTOLs is particularly challenging as standards are being developed as companies engage in the process. Now, having taken one of their first flights in Germany back in 2017, the Lilium Jet has become the First eVTOL with both EASA and FAA certification basis – another step in the process towards type certificate validation and commercialization of services.
XTEND Human Guided Autonomous Drones Achieve Full NDAA Compliance
NDAA Compliance refers to a set of standards published to indicate that platforms are substantially manufactured in the US with parts sourced domestically or from countries not deemed of concern to the U.S. government. The FY 20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and 2019 Executive Order 13981, Maximizing Use of American-Made Goods, Products, and Materials, outlined specific requirements in manufacturing process designed to ensure a strong domestic supply chain ands to strengthen cybersecurity.
G-Hadron is the ultimate compact and lightweight gimbal, perfectly designed to carry the high-performance dual thermal and visible camera module Hadron 640R. With its optimized size and weight, G-Hadron ensures a plug-and-play setup for the Hadron 640R.
PABLO AIR, Hyundai Subsidiary 42air, Collaborate on Drone Delivery: “Gadget” Smart Delivery Winch
UAM integrated control and mobility specialist PABLO AIR has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. drone delivery company 42air, a subsidiary of autonomous driving technology company 42dot and an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group. The signing took place on June 13th at PABLO AIR’s Songdo, Korea headquarters.
Teal Drones Scores New Army Funding to Develop New Short Range Reconnaissance Prototype
Military technology company Red Cat Holdings announced that its subsidiary Teal Droneshas received an additional $1.2 million for the development of a new sUAS prototype for the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) program. In March 2022, Teal was first awarded a prototype contract for the SRR Tranche 2 program, with the Army now obligating a total of $2.7 million for Teal’s participation. The company is one of only three vendors competing in Tranche 2, which is now to be the final tranche of the SRR program.
The Threat to Drones: GPS Jamming Systems, and the Countermeasures Available
infiniDome, an Israeli developer of anti-GPS jamming systems, recently released a white-paper report focusing on various GPS jamming technologies, as well as countermeasures (such as the company’s own GPSdome product). While GPS jamming might not be front-of-mind for many drone operators, both government and civilian clients worldwide are vulnerable to GPS disruption techniques, which can send expensive drones falling from the sky as hackers use easily-acquired tools to attack the GPS access of drone units.
MightyFly makes a long-range, autonomous cargo drone that can carry more than 100 pounds in cargo – a development that could revolutionize express delivery shipments for a wide range of industries. MightyFly, a manufacturer and operator of long-range, autonomous, hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) cargo aircraft, announced in a 28 June 2023 press release the award of a $150,000 grant on 30 May 2023 from the Michigan Mobility Funding Program. Under the terms of the grant, MightyFly will perform the first public demonstration of an autonomous, fixed-wing eVTOL aircraft showcasing 100 pounds of cargo deliveries.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
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